This document is a SUMMARY of
?A Blueprint for Ocean and Coastal
Sustainability?, an interagency
paper that provides context for
the Rio+20 discussions, through
analysis of current challenges in
ocean and coastal management
around the world.

Our ocean covers over 70% of the globe.
Its health and the wellbeing of humanity
and the living environment that sustains
us all are inextricably linked. Yet neglect,
ocean acidification, climate change, polluting
activities and over exploitation of
marine resources have made it one of the
earth?s most threatened ecosystems. This
has put in peril not only the life forms that
inhabit the planet, but the aspirations of
humankind for prosperity and economic
growth within the context of sustainable
development.

The good news is that considerable, albeit
incomplete, progress has been made in
reaching some of the goals set in Rio twenty
years ago, and in the decisions made via
a number of modalities, including the Johannesburg
Plan of Implementation (JPOI)
and by the Commission on Sustainable
Development, to name but two. The Intergovernmental
Oceanographic Commission
(IOC) of UNESCO, the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), the
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),
and the International Maritime Organization
(IMO) are among the agencies responsible
for substantive progress made to date.
Almost two thirds of the Global Ocean Observing
System is now in place. The Large
Marine Ecosystem Program has been actively
engaged in meeting marine-related
targets to promote ecosystem-based integrated
ocean and coastal management.
A mechanism for the global reporting and
assessment of the oceans has been set
in motion. Major agreements have been
reached to protect threatened fish stocks
and new Regional Fisheries Management
Organizations have been set up. Substantial
investment has been made in capacity
building for Small Island Developing States.
Guidelines on the ecosystem approach to
fisheries and aquaculture have been developed
and are being incrementally implemented
in several areas. The IMO now
has in place no less than 21 international
treaties dealing with the protection of the
environment from international shipping
activity, including the first ever, global and
mandatory greenhouse gas reduction regime
for an entire economic sector.

The bad news is that despite international
efforts and initiatives, to date only a little
over 1% of the ocean is protected. The implementation
of many international agreements
in place has been slow.

The commitment to maintain or restore depleted
fish stocks to levels that can produce
their maximum sustainable yield has
not been met - notwithstanding progress
with some stocks. Deterrence of Illegal,
Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing remains
marginal at best. Marine pollution
from land-based sources continues to be a
serious problem. One of the primary vectors
for the introduction of aquatic invasive
species ? hull fouling ? has yet to be resolved.
Commitments made regarding biodiversity
and Marine Protected Areas have
fallen short of expectations.

In addition, a number of emerging issues
since the JPOI threaten progress toward
sustainable development of ocean and
coastal areas. They include increased
nutrient over-enrichment contributing to
habitat degradation, lack of ocean-based
renewable energy use, continuing threats
to coral reefs, the existence of vast areas
of marine debris particularly in the form of
plastics, and a lack of systematic data exchange
across nations.
Technological advances and the impact of
climate change, as well as increased intensification
of human development have
all reduced ocean productivity. This has
led to significantly increased risks to food
Security from fisheries, particularly in the
warmer latitudes around the globe.

In short the world is not keeping up with its
commitments ? with the result that a large percentage
of global fish stocks are under pressure.
Aquatic invasive species are expanding.
Hypoxic (dead) zones are increasing. Coral
reefs are disappearing. Coastal habitats have
been lost or are being degraded and there is
an overall loss of marine biodiversity.

However, the recovery power of the ocean
is still in place and it is not too late to
act. There are emerging opportunities
for the global community to protect our
ocean and at the same time enhance its
potential contribution to sustainable development.

Those opportunities include
increased recognition of the concept of a
Blue-Green Economy and its relationship
to the environmental, social, and economic
pillars of sustainability. Renewable blue
energy, marine genetic bio-resources, and
ecosystem services, are but a few of the
options to consider in meeting the twin
goals of marine conservation and economic
stability of of all nations, not just
those with coasts.

It is clear that the ocean choices made by
world governments and the agencies they
support will be critical to the welfare of
future generations, in supporting poverty
reduction, economic growth and environmental
improvement. Ocean governance
gaps, institutional failures and problems in
the implementation of global and regional
conservation measures, as well as the
need to harness the expertise of scientific
institutions are likely to feature prominently
on the Rio+20 agenda.

There is therefore a strong case for the UN
system to provide leadership through the
fostering of enhanced dialogue, coordination
and cooperative action among UN
agencies, funds and programmes, possibly
leading to a proposal on a reformed
mechanism for ocean coordination to be
put forward at Rio.

Implementation, political and institutional
willingness, capacity and desire to change
at all levels of both government, industry
and civil society are now needed.
The changes that will be required to transition
to a Blue-Green Economy will be a
mix of physical, behavioural and institutional
factors. The matrix, objectives, and
proposals below summarise the nature of
the required changes. Each of the proposals
presented in detail in the sections that
follow are compared against the objectives
in the matrix. The purpose in this approach
is to show how broadly relevant each proposal
is across the spectrum, which in turn
serves to re-emphasise the interconnected
nature of the future transition.